Charles Frohman: Manager and Man   By: Daniel Frohman (1851-1940)

by

ISAAC F. MARCOSSON and DANIEL FROHMAN

With an Appreciation by James M. Barrie

Illustrated with Portraits

New York and London Harper & Brothers M.C.M.X.V.I

Charles Frohman: Manager and Man Copyright, 1916, by Harper & Brothers Copyright, 1915, 1916, by International Magazine Company (Cosmopolitan Magazine) Printed in the United States of America Published October, 1916

To

The Theater

That Charles Frohman

Loved and Served

Nought I did in hate but all in honor!

HAMLET

Contents

CHARLES FROHMAN: AN APPRECIATION

I. A CHILD AMID THE THEATER

II. EARLY HARDSHIPS ON THE ROAD

III. PICTURESQUE DAYS AS MINSTREL MANAGER

IV. IN THE NEW YORK THEATRICAL WHIRLPOOL

V. BOOKING AGENT AND BROADWAY PRODUCER

VI. "SHENANDOAH" AND THE FIRST STOCK COMPANY

VII. JOHN DREW AND THE EMPIRE THEATER

VIII. MAUDE ADAMS AS STAR

IX. THE BIRTH OF THE SYNDICATE

X. THE RISE OF ETHEL BARRYMORE

XI. THE CONQUEST OF THE LONDON STAGE

XII. BARRIE AND THE ENGLISH FRIENDSHIPS

XIII. A GALAXY OF STARS

XIV. STAR MAKING AND AUDIENCES

XV. PLAYS AND PLAYERS

XVI. "C. F." AT REHEARSALS

XVII. HUMOR AND ANECDOTE

XVIII. THE MAN FROHMAN

XIX. "WHY FEAR DEATH?"

APPENDIX A THE LETTERS OF CHARLES

APPENDIX B COMPLETE CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF THE FROHMAN PRODUCTIONS

Illustrations

CHARLES FROHMAN Frontispiece

VIOLA ALLEN

WILLIAM GILLETTE

JOHN DREW

CLYDE FITCH

HENRY ARTHUR JONES

W. LESTOCQ

CHARLES DILLINGHAM

MAUDE ADAMS

MAUDE ADAMS

FRANCIS WILSON

WILLIAM COLLIER

MARGARET ANGLIN

ANNIE RUSSELL

WILLIAM FAVERSHAM

HENRY MILLER

WILLIAM H. CRANE

AUGUSTUS THOMAS

SIR ARTHUR WING PINERO

ETHEL BARRYMORE

JULIA MARLOWE

E. H. SOTHERN

ELSIE FERGUSON

EDNA MAY

BILLIE BURKE

PAULINE CHASE

JAMES M. BARRIE

PAUL POTTER

HADDON CHAMBERS

OTIS SKINNER

MARIE DORO

JULIA SANDERSON

ANN MURDOCK

CHARLES FROHMAN AND DAVID BELASCO

MARIE TEMPEST

MME. NAZIMOVA

CHARLES FROHMAN'S OFFICE IN THE EMPIRE THEATER

CHARLES FROHMAN ON BOARD SHIP

Charles Frohman: an Appreciation

By James M. Barrie

The man who never broke his word. There was a great deal more to him, but every one in any land who has had dealings with Charles Frohman will sign that.

I would rather say a word of the qualities that to his friends were his great adornment than about his colossal enterprises or the energy with which he heaved them into being; his energy that was like a force of nature, so that if he had ever "retired" from the work he loved (a thing incredible) companies might have been formed, in the land so skilful at turning energy to practical account, for exploiting the vitality of this Niagara of a man. They could have lit a city with it.

He loved his schemes. They were a succession of many colored romances to him, and were issued to the world not without the accompaniment of the drum, but you would never find him saying anything of himself. He pushed them in front of him, always taking care that they were big enough to hide him. When they were able to stand alone he stole out in the dark to have a look at them, and then if unobserved his bosom swelled. I have never known any one more modest and no one quite so shy. Many actors have played for him for years and never spoken to him, have perhaps seen him dart up a side street because they were approaching. They may not have known that it was sheer shyness, but it was. I have seen him ordered out of his own theater by subordinates who did not know him, and he went cheerfully away. "Good men, these; they know their business," was all his comment. Afterward he was shy of going back lest they should apologize.